Flexible joint.



No. 792,536. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. T. W. MORAN.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21 1904 Witneoouo NITED STATES Patented June 13,1905.

THOMAS IV. MORAN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO MORAN FLEXIBLEJOINT COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPO- RATION OF KEN TUOKY.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,536, dated June 13,1905. Applicationfiled June 21, 1904:. Serial N0. 213,564.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. MORAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Louisville, in the county of J efierson and State ofKentucky, have made a certain new and useful Invention in FlexibleJoints; and

I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view ofthe same on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

This invention has relation to metallic flexible pipe-joints for steamand liquids; and the invention consists in the novel construction andcombinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the letter adesignates the hollow ball interior member of the oint, and b theexterior member, composed of the chambered and outward-flanged cupportion 0 and the downward-flanged ring portion (1. The cup portion isprovided with an exterior annular thread 6 to engage the interior threadf of the flange h of the ring portion. The cup portion is also providedwith the exterior shoulder g, extending outward from the base of itsthread e and adapted to engage the flange h of the ring portion wherethe parts are screwed together. In this position the concave annularbearing-faces k and 'm, respectively, of the cup portion and the ringportion, which are spherically ground on the radius of the ball, areconcentric and engage the ball portion neatly, forming a close joint.Between the shoulder of the cup portion and the flange of the ringportion is located the thin annular ring it, which is designed to fitneatly said flange and shoulder, which close upon it when the parts areforcibly screwed together and form a steam-tight joint at this shoulder.The interposition of this annular bearing t, while rendering theshoulder-joint close, at the same time changes the relative position ofthe concave annular bearing-faces of the cup portion and ring portionslightly, so that they have an eccentric relation to each other and arein this manner designed to loosely engage the ball portion. The joint isthus rendered suitable for steam, the pressure of which will close thering bearing on the ball; but when the pressure is relieved the jointwill open automatically to allow the escape of the water ofcondensation.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In a metallic flexible pipe-joint, the combination with a hollow ballmember, of the threaded ringportion, and of the threaded and shoulderedbell-bearing portion having their respective concave annularbearingfaces relatively centric to the ball member, and means forholding said ring portion and bell portion in relatively eccentricposition while maintaining a close joint between the ring portion andbell-shoulder, substantially as specified.

2. In a metallic flexible pipe-joint, the combination with a hollow ballmember, of a threaded ring portion, and a threaded and shouldered cupportion, having their respective concave annular bearing facesspherically curved on the radius of the ball, and relatively adjustablefrom centric to cocentric position, and an annular bearingplate betweenthe cup portion and the ring portion adapted to hold said bearing-facesin eccentric relation to each other, substantially as specified.-

' In'testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses. V

TIIOS. W. MORAN." Witnesses:

L. M. RENDER, G. S. BRIDGES.

